Investing.com – European stocks were down on Monday, as shares in the financial sector led markets lower amid concerns over Ireland’s sovereign debt, while U.S. futures indexes pointed to a lower open on Wall Street.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 was down 0.29%; France’s CAC 40 fell 0.32%; while Germany's DAX shed 0.14%.
Shares in the financial sector weighed on markets as concerns over sovereign debt problems in peripheral euro zone nations, especially Ireland, continued.
U.K. lenders Lloyds Banking Group saw shares drop 0.78%, while shares in rivals Barclays declined 0.69% as U.K. banks are exposed to the sovereign debt problems facing Ireland.
Elsewhere, shares in Spanish lender Banco Santander fell 0.42%, while French counterpart Credit Agricole saw shares drop 0.82%.
But shares in German mechanical engineering company MAN soared 6.53% after a report said the company was “investigating” a possible merger with Swedish automaker Scania, which saw shares fall 0.32% following the news.
In London, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 was down 0.38% with miners leading declines as metal prices retreated. Shares in the world’s largest mining group BHP Billiton fell 0.96%, rivals Rio Tinto saw shares tumble 1.47%, while shares in the world’s fourth-largest copper producer Xstrata shed 0.85%.
The outlook for U.S. equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat ahead of earnings reports from the second-largest U.S. home improvement retailer Lowe’s and from upscale department store chain Nordstrom.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.10%, S&P 500 futures pointed to a gain of 0.19% and Nasdaq 100 futures indicated an increase of 0.28%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release official data on retail sales and manufacturing.
During European morning trade, the EURO STOXX 50 was down 0.29%; France’s CAC 40 fell 0.32%; while Germany's DAX shed 0.14%.
Shares in the financial sector weighed on markets as concerns over sovereign debt problems in peripheral euro zone nations, especially Ireland, continued.
U.K. lenders Lloyds Banking Group saw shares drop 0.78%, while shares in rivals Barclays declined 0.69% as U.K. banks are exposed to the sovereign debt problems facing Ireland.
Elsewhere, shares in Spanish lender Banco Santander fell 0.42%, while French counterpart Credit Agricole saw shares drop 0.82%.
But shares in German mechanical engineering company MAN soared 6.53% after a report said the company was “investigating” a possible merger with Swedish automaker Scania, which saw shares fall 0.32% following the news.
In London, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 was down 0.38% with miners leading declines as metal prices retreated. Shares in the world’s largest mining group BHP Billiton fell 0.96%, rivals Rio Tinto saw shares tumble 1.47%, while shares in the world’s fourth-largest copper producer Xstrata shed 0.85%.
The outlook for U.S. equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat ahead of earnings reports from the second-largest U.S. home improvement retailer Lowe’s and from upscale department store chain Nordstrom.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a rise of 0.10%, S&P 500 futures pointed to a gain of 0.19% and Nasdaq 100 futures indicated an increase of 0.28%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to release official data on retail sales and manufacturing.